Decent People
by Sierra Nichole
Summary: What if, a Christian man and a lesbian could sit down and have a civil conversation? Maybe it would play out something like this


**Title: Decent People**

**Author: Bravo45 (SierraCrane)**

**Rated: PG**

**Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own the Bible. I do own these characters, though I doubt anyone would want to steal them anyway!**

**Summary: What if a Christian man and a gay woman could sit down and have a civil conversation while waiting for the birth of their children? Maybe it would sound something like this . . .**

**Author's Notes: For those of you in this section that might remember me, this is Sierra. I'm all grown up now, more experienced, wiser (I hope) and I want to try to make things right, regarding some of the ignorant statements I made when I posted here three years ago. So, yes, this story was posted before, but this is my new version . . . I hope it seems better to you all!**

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Sean tried to stifle a yawn as he leaned back in his chair and stretched out his stiff muscles, he had been sitting---waiting---for what felt like an eternity, but---glancing at his watch---he realized was only thirty minutes; sweat beads had formed on his forehead, he was nearly trembling from the anticipation, and the fear, of it all. The atmosphere didn't help, either. The cold, white room with the pale blue curtains, the fuzzy TV screen up in the corner, meant to distract the anxious people sitting around it, but to no avail; at the desk, someone was playing a radio softly, some sort of rock station that he couldn't quite make out.

He tapped his foot impatiently, looking around for something to take his mind off what was going on in the room down the hall, where his wife lay, surrounded by doctors, who worked expertly at delivering their son; he paused on the young woman who sat directly across from him, as she seemed to be equally impatient and nervous. She had shoulder-length, brunette hair and startling, blue eyes, her complexion was fair and skin smooth, and her eyes were locked with his.

"You look anxious, too," she commented.

"I am," Sean admitted, "I'm waiting for a baby."

"Oh? Me, too." She smiled, a warm smile that lit up her pretty face and made her seem welcoming. "My name's Amanda."

"Sean." He nodded, pleased to be able to strike up a conversation and momentarily forget. "Really?" he continued, "is the mom a sister? Friend?"

For a moment, she seemed uncomfortable, shifting in her seat while still looking at him, as if searching for a reaction to word she hadn't spoken yet. "Well, no," she finally answered, "my wife, actually."

And, for an equally long and awkward moment, Sean didn't know how to respond, her words had surprised, he had met homosexuals before in other situations, but somehow never expected . . . _never mind that_ . . . he smiled as well: "Congratulations. Do you know the gender yet?"

"Yes, we're having a girl." Amanda's eyes searched him, prodding deeper. "You seem kind of uncomfortable, Sean. Sorry if that offends you, but you asked."

"No need to apologize at all," Sean said, quickly, "it's just that . . . well, I'm a Christian."

She blinked, answering him without a second's hesitation: "So am I." This time, he couldn't hide his surprise, and she laughed slightly. "I guess that came as a shock. What, you didn't know there were Christian gays out there?"

"Honestly," Sean admitted, "I don't really know how you could be both."

"It's not like I had a _choice_ in one, you know." Amanda stood, walking over to the window, perhaps trying to give herself something to stare at so she didn't have to see him. "I know you probably disagree with that, but oh well. Anyway, yes, I'm a Christian. And a lesbian."

"Do you mind . . . " he proceeded, cautiously, "if I ask you something?"

She glanced back absently, shrugging with one shoulder. "Sure. Shoot."

"You say you're a Christian," Sean went on, "so you believe in the Bible then, right?" She nodded. "If you believe in the Bible, how can you _not_ believe where it says homosexuality is wrong? You can't believe one part of it and not the other. Sorry, but that doesn't make sense to me."

"It's easy for me," Amanda replied, turning back and walking over to sit across from him again, seeming to relax a bit. "I do believe in the Bible, but I believe parts of it change. There are things in there that had to be changed to adapt to the times . . . that's obvious in the Old Testament to the New."

"That's true." He had to give her that. "But there hasn't been anything revealed since the New Testament, so how can you be sure?"

"Just because God hasn't chosen any new apostles to write down His word doesn't mean it hasn't changed," Amanda said, "look around you . . . have you ever met anyone you would think of as a disciple? I sure haven't!" She finished with a friendly laugh.

"Well, the disciples weren't perfect, either," Sean said, "but I've gotta see your point there. Even though I disagree." He hesitated. "Since you explained yours, would you mind if I explained mine?"

"Of course not."

"The Old and New Testaments _are_ different," he said, "but that's only because in the old one, Jesus hadn't come to Earth yet, He hadn't paid for our sins yet. In the new one, He had, and that changed things. I'm guessing when you say it changed, you mean the new one wasn't nearly as . . . harsh as the old."

"Yeah, pretty much." Amanda knitted her brows, a crease forming on her forehead. "But do you really think someone who would come and willingly be nailed to a cross for me, would reject me just because I'm gay?" Her expression was doubtful, her voice incredulous.

"No," Sean said, "I don't. I think He would reject anyone who rejected Him---"

"---and I don't."

"As you mentioned earlier."

"So you don't believe I'm going to Hell then?"

Now it was Sean who stood up, aware that there were more than likely people in the room listening in on their conversation, people on both "sides" of the debate, wondering how one or the other would stand up for their beliefs. "I'm no preacher," he said, "or a theologist. You say you believe in Jesus . . . so my first reaction would be you're going to Heaven just like every other Christian. But, while you believe in Jesus, you don't believe what He says all the time."

"Like I said," Amanda repeated, "it can change."

"That's your belief," Sean said, "which your entitled to. But it's not mine. I think the Bible, and God, don't ever change . . . and so what it says from two thousand years ago, is still relevant today." He paused. "But, I don't think it's your sexuality that sends you to Heaven or Hell. It's your faith."

"Well, at least we can have one opinion that is the same," Amanda said. "Now I'm going to ask you another question . . . why don't you think being gay is just as natural as being straight? I mean, did you choose to be straight and you seem to think I chose to be gay?"

"No, I didn't," he said, "I was definitely born straight."

"Then . . . " she pressed.

"Come on now," Sean said, with mock impatience, "if you're gonna ask the question, you've gotta give me time to answer." As she rolled her eyes, in fake annoyance, he continued: "To me, it seems everything God created has a natural purpose in this world . . . hate to sound like _The Lion King_ but hey, the lions eat the antelope, when the lions die, they end up feeding the antelope. It all comes together, you know?"

"So which one am I . . . the lion or the antelope?" One thin eyebrow arched up, skeptically.

"I didn't mean it _that_ way," he chuckled, "I just meant . . . well, look where we are. My wife and I are here to have our first child, your wife and you and here for the same reason. There's just one difference: Megan and I conceived our child _together_. You and your wife had to go to an outside source. Quite frankly, there is a need for heterosexuality, and that is reproduction---the natural course of things."

"Uh-huh," Amanda grunted, "so you think, because we can't have children, we have no 'purpose' in the developement of this world?"

"I'm just saying," Sean said, "everything has a reason for being here that supports this world---and I don't mean peace-keeping or political, or whatever, things that it doesn't matter whether you're gay or straight. I mean just the basics."

A moment of silence, then Amanda: "I hate to sound rude, Sean, but I gotta admit---I think that's a load of crap."

He shrugged, sitting down again, but this time beside her. "I guess that's why God gave us free will, huh?" he said, "so we have the choice to make our own decisions about what we believe. And figure out, for ourselves, why we believe them."

"As long as you don't resent me for my beliefs," she said, "I won't resent you for yours."

"I know there are some people in the world," Sean said, "especially of my---sorry, _our_ faith, that would reject you and treat you cruelly because of it. And, while I don't agree with it, I'm not in a position to tell you how to live your life. Just a normal human being, like you, who has his own opinions."

"I'm glad to hear that." She definitely relaxed this time. "There are decent people in the world, after all."

As she spoke, two doctors came walking down the hall, they paused and looked around for a second, then spotted the people they were looking for:

"Mr. Jacobs."

"Mrs. Williams."

Amanda and Sean rose together and came to stand in front of their own doctors, listening to the news delivered quietly to them, then turning to one another once again as the doctors left; both beamed with excitement, Sean being the first to speak: "Matthew Patrick. _Eleven_ pounds!"

"Wow . . . Alice Michelle," Amanda said, proudly, "seven pounds, three ounces!"

Without even thinking, both embraced, overcome by the sheer joy of the moment that neither had ever experienced before, differences were forgotten, similarities were realized: Two parents, about to meet their firstborn children. They pulled away, then walked side-by-side till Amanda reached the room where her wife lay, propped up by pillows, covered in sweat, but smiling ear-to-ear.

"Hey," Amanda said, "congratulations again. And . . . thanks, for not giving me a 'fire and brimstone' speech."

"Congratulations to you, too," Sean said, "and as for that . . . don't mention it, I sure as heck wouldn't like someone preaching to me, so I try not to."

"It's good to know there are some people out there," Amanda said, "that realize the most important part about Jesus' message was the cross---not your race, or sexuality, or whatever." She glanced back. "Anyway, I should go. It was nice meeting you."

"And you." Sean nodded, looking over to see the nurse---having cleaned up the infant---handing her over to the new mother. "Tell your wife I said 'congratulations', too. And you two take care."

With that, he turned and walked on down till he reached the room where his wife was slowly regaining consciousness after the C-section, and his young son lay, screaming at the bright lights and strange noises. He laughed, then took the mask and gloves offered to him before approaching the little boy and touching his tender, pink skin; a pair of bright green eyes looked up at him, curious.

"Hello there, Matt . . . welcome to the world."


End file.
